On the half hour mark Petershill should have gone in front when Michael Daly was sent through on goal following a defensive error, but with only Murdoch to beat he lacked composure and blasted over from six yards.

With the match now being played mainly in midfield there was little attacking action until a minute before the interval when Duff released Lee Gallacher in the penalty box but Hughes did well to dive to his right to push his low shot around the post to safety.

Rob Roy looked to begin the second half more positively with David Barr unable to connect with a Gavin Mackie free-kick in front of goal.

However the visitors broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Mackie’s corner kick into the home penalty box was met by Ross Barbour who promptly fired the ball through a crowded goalmouth and into the net for his first goal in Rabs colours.

Eight minutes later Rabs surrendered their fragile lead when Jordan Kennedy latched on to a defence splitting pass to run into the Rabs penalty box before calmly despatching the ball past Murdoch.